“given to the three peoples”

“And so, my lord, to your question, touching the three laws given to the three peoples by God the Father, I answer: Each of these peoples deems itself to have the true inheritance, the true law, the true commandments of God; but which of them is justified in so believing, is a question which, like that of the rings, remains pendent.”

After Neifile’s novella, in which a Jew appears, has come to an end, it is Filomena’s turn. She remembers yet another story about a Jew, called Melchisedech. In this novella, three identical golden rings play an important role. During the Middle Ages, rings were a popular kind of jewelry; they were a sign of rank, power and wealth and were worn by both rich and ordinary people. They were more than a simple decoration. During this period a ring was also used as a seal, a promise of contract, a symbol of religious faith, a manifestation of love and an amulet to cure illness.

In this tale an original ring and its copies cannot be distinguished. What does this mean? Let us start by retelling the plot of this novella, and then move to the role of the rings.